Northwest Observer / March 2-15, 2023

March 2 - 15, 2023

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‘No means no’ on text amendment  Summerfield resident Cathy Storch said she believes Couch’s development would imperil the “peace and quiet” she cherishes.  A former Summerfield resident now living in Greensboro, Mark Ruffin said he’d like to return to the town if housing were more affordable.

Photos by Chris Burritt/NWO

For the second time within the last year, Summerfield Town Council denies landowner David Couch’s request to create a new open space mixed use - village zoning district for higher-density housing

See story on p. 6

‘One pill can kill’

by CHRIS BURRITT

Parents, students learn about deadly risks of fentanyl during town hall meeting at Northern Guilford High School NORTHERN GREENSBORO – Although he died about 1 ½ years ago from a fentanyl overdose, Will Finch spoke to the big crowd at Northern Guilford High School through his mother, Leslie Deaton.

“It is not a matter of if you will die, but it is when

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you will die,” said Deaton, pretending as though her son was texting her about the risks of fentanyl.

Their conversation was supersized on the screen on the stage of the auditorium where several hundred parents and their children sat in darkness.

IN THIS ISSUE Council cuts asking price for Gordon building .....2 News Briefs.....................................................................3 Your Questions .............................................................4 Payne Stafford, 100, “I’ve enjoyed my life.” .............8 Bits & Pieces ................................................................10 Pets & Critters ..............................................................13 Saying goodbye to “Charlie and me” ..................14 Kids’ Korner .................................................................16 Adoptable Pets ........................................................... 17

The audience listened in silence to the makebelieve exchange that provided a mix of real-life warning signs and tough-love advice from a mother grieving the loss of her son at age 23.

...continued on p. 28 Welcome to our new advertisers ............................18 Community Calendar ..............................................22 NWMS coaches receive Quilts of Valor .................24 NWHS wrestlers keep momentum going...............26 Crime/Incident report ...............................................30 Grins and Gripes ........................................................32 Letters/Opinions .........................................................34 Classifieds ...................................................................35 Index of Advertisers ...................................................39 NWO On The Go .........................................................40

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File photos

During a special called meeting on Feb. 20, Summerfield Town Council voted to reduce the asking price for the historic Gordon Hardware building (left) from $125,000 to $95,000. Town Manager Scott Whitaker reports another party “is very interested in exploring” the purchase of the two-story Martin House (right) located across the street from the Gordon Hardware building.

by CHRIS BURRITT SUMMERFIELD – Summerfield Town Council voted 4-1 last month to reduce the asking price for the historic Gordon Hardware building by $30,000.

Since last year, Preservation North Carolina (PNC) has been trying to sell the circa 1870s building at 7722 Summerfield Road for the town.

The initial asking price was $125,000, which would have yielded $115,000 for the town and $10,000 for PNC’s marketing and other services.

The new asking price is $95,000 – which would yield $85,000 to the town and $10,000 to PNC, assuming the nonprofit leaves its fee unchanged, according to Town Manager Scott Whitaker.

Since a contract with the initial bidder fell through, PNC has begun talking with a second prospective buyer, Whitaker told the council during a special called meeting Feb. 20. The

The Northwest Observer • Totally local since 1996

offer from the second bidder, who is local, is less than the $115,000 originally sought by the town, requiring the council to authorize PNC to negotiate a lower price, he said.

Whitaker said he recommended lowering the asking price by $30,000 after asking council members for their suggestions on how much money Summerfield should get in the transaction. A yield of $85,000 for the town “seemed to be the sweet spot of what I was hearing from you individually,” he said.

Mayor Tim Sessoms said he favored a total asking price of $89,000 – with $79,000 going to the town – because “it’s going to take a lot to fix that building.” Councilman Reece Walker concurred, saying “we’re hoping to get that building to a good use.”

Because he favored a deeper

...continued on p. 12

by CHRIS BURRITT

OAK RIDGE – Oak Ridge Town Council plans to consider approval of the town’s $8.25 million capital improvement plan (CIP) for the fiscal year beginning July 1, with the biggest spending earmarked for the development of Heritage Farm Park.

The CIP appropriates $3.91 million for the portion of park improvements planned for next year, along with $150,000 in administration and contingency expenses and $280,000 for playground equipment with a shade structure.

Another $200,000 is set aside for development of Veterans Honor Green, which is being funded by donations and matching funds from Oak Ridge.

The plan earmarked another $2.68 million for construction of an elevated water storage tank behind Town Hall on Linville Road. The council also anticipates spending $235,000 for engineering of a water main along N.C. 150 from the Forsyth County line to Oak Ridge’s elevated tank.

Oak Ridge also plans to spend $150,000 on improvements for the entrance to Town Park, $65,000 on the Mountains-to-Sea Trail and $30,000 on park equipment.

A total of $3.45 million in federal and state funds will help cover the capital costs.

In addition, the council voted last month to borrow $3 million from Truist Financial for developing 62-acre Heritage Farm Park.

In other business, the council plans to consider updating the town’s strategic plan. Proposed changes include policies and goals reflecting earlier initiatives discussed by the council, such as evaluating the feasibility of renovating the historic Redmon house into the Farmhouse Community Center; changes also embrace plans for capital spending, such as exploring the development of water infrastructure and expanding trails in Oak Ridge.

The council will consider

...continued on p. 33

Future Atlantic and Yadkin Greenway

Photo by Chris Burritt/NWO

Preview: Oak Ridge Town Council meeting, March 2

A cyclist exits the U.S. 220 tunnel onto the sidewalk in Summerfield at the starting point of the future Atlantic and Yadkin Greenway running through town. Summerfield Town Council advanced the project last month when it agreed to hire design consultant Kimley-Horn to complete late-stage planning and engineering of the greenway on the southern end of town. As walkers, runners and cyclists exit the tunnel, they will turn immediately left, or south, and follow the greenway toward Lake Higgins before looping through the watershed woodlands back to Summerfield Road, according to a description of the project on the town’s website. From there, the greenway will roughly follow the abandoned railroad bed along Summerfield Road before ending at the Medaris Street trailhead, just north of the amphitheater at Summerfield Community Park. Construction is slated to start in 2024.

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Now that Summerfield Town Council has turned down landowner David Couch’s application for a text amendment to the town’s development rules, how soon can he come back with a new plan for developing his property?

We contacted Summerfield Town Manager Scott Whitaker for an explanation of the process, and he told us that if Couch wants to submit substantially the same text amendment application again, he will have to wait a year from the council’s denial of his request Feb. 21 – which means he could submit a new application no sooner than Feb. 21, 2024.

In an interview after the council voted 4-1 to deny Couch’s text amendment request, the developer said he was considering his options for developing his 973 acres. He didn’t specify how he may proceed.

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The unified development ordinance (UDO) provides two openspace options for developers seeking to build housing of higher density than single-family homes typical of residential development in Summerfield. The open space residential and open space mixed-use districts allow for construction of townhouses, duplexes, triplexes and quadplexes.

However, those two open space districts don’t allow construction of apartments, which Couch wants to build as one of the housing options in the Villages of Summerfield Farms. To accommodate his plans, he sought the creation of a new zoning district called open space mixed use – village.

In exchange for higher-density housing, Couch proposed preserving pastures, fields and other scenic views on his property, including Summerfield

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Farms. Higher-density housing would require the extension of water and sewer services to the project, according to Couch.

The council’s 4-1 vote on Feb. 21 was the second time it had denied Couch’s request for a text amendment to the town’s UDO – the first time was last April.

A month later, Couch submitted a new text amendment application, offering to reduce the number of apartments from 1,192 to 596. That’s the application the council denied last month.

Couch submitted the new application last May just hours before the council amended the UDO to impose a one-year waiting period for developers submitting substantially the same text amendment requests. Going forward, that rule now applies to developers.

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applied for the text amendment for the first time. On both occasions, only counSUMMERFIELD – For the second time cilman John Doggett voted in favor of the in less than a year, Summerfield Town Upload Tell Us What Receive a amendment.

Council rebuffed landownera David Photo You’d Like Changed Personalized Video Last week, Mayor ProFrom Tem Lynne Couch and his plan to develop his nearly the Doctor Williams DeVaney and council members 1,000 acres with higher-density housing, Jeff Davis, Janelle Robinson and Reece including apartments.

Walker voted to deny the developer’s Couch’s opponents cheered and request. applauded after the council voted 4-1 My goal is simply to help you achieve a path of wellness with Citing “my own personal poll of last Tuesday, Feb. 21, toyour deny his request dental health. I want it to be as easy as possible to have Summerfield citizens,” for a text amendment toaSummerfield’s (336) smile559-4023 that lasts in both form and function.

Come DeVaney offered a lengthy motion to deny Couch’s experience exceptional dentistry! development rules. Couch had 1009 sought NC-150 W, –Tristan J. Parry DDS application.

Summerfield, NCthe 27358 the creation of a new zoning district,

first of three steps requiring the approval of the council before he could start transforming his property into a planned development called the Villages of Summerfield Farms.

About 90 people spoke during the nearly five-hour meeting that drew more than 300 people to Summerfield First Baptist Church’s Community Life Center.

Most of the speakers opposed Couch and his development plan that includes about 600 apartments. Some ignored or expressed distrust about the steps facing the developer before he could start building.

If the council had voted to create the new zoning district, called open space mixed use – village, Couch would have then sought to rezone his property while negotiating a development agreement with town leaders. Opponents said that instead, he should be required to develop his 973 acres under the town’s existing unified development ordinance (UDO).

The rules allow townhouses and other multifamily housing in Summerfield, but not apartments.

“Please vote no and support the UDO,” homeowner Abigail Stanley told the council. Added her husband, Doug: “no apartments; no means no.”

According to the UDO, Couch, the owner of Summerfield Farms, must wait a year to submit a new text amendment application, if that’s the route he pursues to develop his property. After the council’s vote, Couch said in an interview that “all options are still on the table” for his next move.

The council’s 4-1 vote last week was The Northwest Observer •identical Totallytolocal since 1996 its vote last April when Couch

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“This is the wrong tool for our small town with a limited government, and it is in direct conflict with the values and rural character of our community,” she said.

Before another council member could second DeVaney’s motion, Town Attorney Bob Hornick suggested that she restate it to extract “her personal reasoning” for objecting to Couch’s request amendment.

Davis said he was concerned about higher density that would accompany Couch’s development, along with a lack of oversight and governance by the town and “too much ambiguity” in his application.

It was Davis’s first vote on the text amendment since he joined the council last August, replacing John O’Day. “I don’t feel like there is any reason to beat a dead horse,” Walker said. In an interview earlier this week, he elaborated, saying that Couch’s plan was little changed from last year except for halving the number of apartments he wants to build to about 600.

Walker said he’d prefer that Couch seek variances in the UDO to develop his property before returning with another text amendment application.

Robinson didn’t explain her position during the meeting. Afterwards, she said in an interview she doesn’t think approving Couch’s request was “the will of the majority.”

Doggett said he believes Couch submitted “a great text amendment,”

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Later, in an email to the Northwest Observer, Doggett wrote, “I believe as an elected official, I am charged with listening to the people who voted for me and even to those people who did not. I have to balance this concern and uphold our Comprehensive Plan – and then, look 20 or more years down the road and vote for what is best for Summerfield, not just what is happening right now. It is a tough balancing act, but taking that all into consideration I felt the text amendment is what is best for Summerfield.

“It was not the popular vote, but one I felt gave the Town a chance to discuss how to protect open space, discuss trails and bike pathways, and diversity in housing,” he continued. “It would have given us a chance to discuss affordable housing and protecting rural character – all things that are missing or hard to obtain in our UDO. “Specifically, after talking to people on both sides of the issue, I become convinced that the TA was right for Summerfield because it checked all the boxes in the comprehensive plan, it protected open space. It had trails and bike pathways; protected rural character; had more housing choices, more affordable housing, and made provisions for sewer and water which are all in the comprehensive plan,” Doggett concluded. “Under the circumstances, I made the correct vote.”

After the meeting, Couch said he believes the council “has chosen to make a political decision over a leadership decision” by denying his text amendment application, despite the favorable recommendation of the town’s Planning Board.

Composed of members appointed by the council, the board voted 3-2 last March and again in January to recommend the council approve Couch’s request.

“It’s disappointing to me that twice now the appointed body, which is normally very conservative on development, sees the wisdom of this project and the quality of the planning, while the elected body, for obvious reasons, has chosen to make a political decision over a leadership decision,” Couch said.

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“They tell us that urbanism is the way of the future for Summerfield,” said homeowner Patty Ringler.

“We have our own voice.

Our vision is not to bring urbanism to Summerfield.”

A Summerfield resident for nearly 27 years, Jay Bunting said Couch’s proposal to build higher density housing is about “money, lots of money. Any amount of high-density housing in our township is unacceptable. If it is allowed to proceed, it will become a cancer to our community.”

A supporter of the text amendment, 34-year resident John Watson said he’s “disappointed to hear so many people vilify David and his team for trying to improve Summerfield.”

“All you have to do is look at the amenities that Summerfield Farms already provides the community,” Watson said.

Even so, the prospect of Couch building about 600 apartments in Summerfield drew the sharpest scorn from critics who, citing previous experiences, said apartments spawn crime, trash and abandoned cars.

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MARCH 2 - 15, 2023 7

25

P

‘I must have done something good somewhere down the line, because they treat me well’ Payne Stafford, 100, reflects on his earliest years, serving in the Army during WWII, and returning to the community where he has since lived for almost 80 years

beyond infancy or their toddler years), and were known for their kind spirits and for looking after their neighbors.

“My granddaddy had a horse and buggy, and when the flu epidemic came my grandmother would get in the buggy and visit with those who were sick,” Payne recalls. “My granddaddy and her were friends to everyone around, and they all looked up to them. Everybody loved Grandma.”

by PATTI STOKES OAK RIDGE – Some of Payne Stafford’s fondest memories of growing up off Stafford Mill Road in Colfax include his grandparents, Ada and Edward Stafford. He describes his grandmother as “one of the sweetest ladies you’ve ever seen.”

The youngest of three boys born to Sarah and Ivie Stafford, Payne experienced the loss of their father when he was about 5. Soon afterward, his mother, two brothers and a younger sister moved in with Sarah’s parents.

“There wasn’t room in that house for all of us, so I went to live with my grandmother,” Payne said.

Ada and Edward Stafford had 13 children (although several didn’t live

“I got up in the morning and did chores – milked the cow and fed the pigs – before I went to school,” he said.

Sadly, Payne experienced another painful loss at age 12, when Ada died.

After that he lived with his mother “for a year or two,” and then with her parents. He describes his mother’s mother, “Grandma Pitts,” as “a sweet lady and well-liked.”

Times were hard, though, and most country folks in those days struggled to earn enough to live on. Tobacco farming was the mainstay, and the government controlled how much tobacco each

farmer produced by assigning them quotas. Unfortunately, his grandparents didn’t earn enough from their quota to afford Payne’s modest upkeep, so he went to live with his first cousin, Alma, who was married to Jessie Gray.

“She took over as a mother and looked after me until I went into the service,” Payne said.

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Dallas Barber (left) and Oak Ridge resident Payne Stafford (right) pose with Alison Huber, founder and executive director of Triad Honor Flight, while in Washington, D.C., last year. Courtesy of the nonprofit organization, the two men traveled with about 90 other Triad-area veterans to our nation’s capital for a one-day trip to visit memorials that honor their service and that of their comrades.

After his grandfather’s death, Payne continued to live with his grandmother while doing as much as he could to help her at home.

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Having to drop out of school to work full time was hard for Payne, but he did what was necessary and learned to do a man’s work at a young age. At 16, he got a job working as an electrician; his pay was $8 a week, and half of that went for room and board.

About a year later he had the opportunity to train as a machinist for another company. The pay was $12.50 a week, The Northwest Observer •and Totally local since 1996 after receiving the blessing of the

electrician he worked for, he took the new job and stayed there until he was drafted into the Army at age 19.

Basic training took him to Massachusetts, and at age 21 he found himself on the RMS Aquitania along with thousands of other soldiers being shipped to England.

He un-fondly remembers that English sausage was all the soldiers had to eat on the ship.

“I hated that, and I’ve never liked sausage since,” he said.

Just before the ship carrying Payne and his comrades approached the place where they were to debark, he said they were bombed by the Germans.

“But they missed,” he said.

Payne’s troop was trained on

using 40 mm (anti-aircraft) guns, and machine guns. Close encounters with the Germans were frequent.

“The Germans had the beach mined – we had to wait until they cleared the beach of the mines. We guarded the shores where the ships were bringing in supplies, and our main thing was to guard the ships carrying fighter planes that came in from the States,” he said.

“We weren’t on the front line, but it was our job to guard those who were,” he added.

That brought him and his comrades perilously close to direct gunfire – and yes, Payne said he got shot at a few times. When asked if he ever got used to the danger, he replied honestly, “I stayed scared most of the time.”

His troop was constantly on the move, traveling from country to country and going wherever the fighting was.

Besides England, he spent time in France, Belgium, Holland and Luxembourg. There, batteries of about 100 men would capture an airfield and send orders for the artillery troops to move right in behind the frontline troops.

At one point Payne was injured while loading equipment. He recalls being sent to the field hospital, where his shoulder was bandaged and one thumb set in a cast.

“And then they sent me right back to the outfit and I pulled guard,” he said.

Unfortunately, his injured thumb was on his left hand – the one he uses most.

To this day, he said, he can’t write his name.

Returning home after his time in the Army was no cakewalk – Payne said he wasn’t initially well received by people in the community, but isn’t quite sure why.

Pausing, he said he wondered if maybe they were afraid of him because of his experience with war.

Being reunited with his beloved Polly helped with the transition back to civilian life. The two had become engaged before Payne went into the Army, and corresponded throughout his time away.

He was welcomed back to his cousin Alma’s home with open arms and resumed his old job at the machine shop. He and Polly were married about a year later, on April 5, 1947.

Before long, Payne decided to open up a service station on N.C. 68 in Oak Ridge, beside the house where he still lives. It was here that his reputation for being able to “fix anything” spread throughout the community.

James Hall, Payne’s grandson, recently confirmed that people would bring their lawnmowers, bikes, cars and just about anything to “Pop,” and he would figure out how to get them working again.

“He was always kind, and always involved in the church,” Hall noted, adding, “I am a full-time fireman, and I got that from him.”

Oak Ridge resident Sam Anders fondly remembers his father taking him into Payne’s gas station when he was young.

“Whenever you went in there, Payne always gave the kids a piece of candy,” Anders said. “It was a little striped peanut butter piece of candy – and I loved those things! He was just a lot of fun, and he was always easygoing and kind and caring. And I think he always was dressed in those coveralls (still Payne’s signature attire).”

Sam Anders’ mother, Phyllis Anders, 78, said she could remember as a kid going with her mother to visit Payne and Polly, whom she described as “pillars of Oak Ridge.”

It was during this time, in 1953, that Payne was instrumental in helping build the first fire engine for Oak Ridge Fire Department.

“I kept it in my service station until they built a fire house,” he said. “If the siren went off, I would lock my service station, get the fire truck and go to the fire.”

He continued to volunteer with the fire department for about 21 years.

Owning a service station suited Payne just fine… for about 10 years. It all changed, though, when one day, “I got beat up, shot and robbed,” he said.

“The robber’s bullet glanced off my ribs and he hit my head with a pistol. I ran in the back and I said, ‘I’m a Stafford and I’m a chicken.’”

He proceeded to rent out the station to an oil company and went to work for the post office as a mechanic.

To this day, Payne lives in the small brick ranch house that he and Polly built about 75 years ago. The contractor who took the money from a GI loan never finished the job, so it took a few years to complete it because Payne and Polly paid as they went, adding things like doors and windows one at a time.

“When we got through, though, we had our house paid for and didn’t owe anybody,” he said.

...continued on p. 27

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and achievement during the calendar year. The recipient branch is chosen on several factors, including customer service, customer retention, the creation of new customer relationships, growth of the deposit and loan portfolio, as well as exemplifying the bank’s “Right By You” culture to meet the needs of the bank’s valued customers.

Fidelity Bank’s Stokesdale team includes Ashley Wolff, branch manager; Georgeanne Wyrick and John Kolessar, senior business development officers; Shannon Robertson, business development officer and mortgage loan officer; and relationship bankers Teresa Ramos, Pam Carter, Mary Beth Todora and Tina Hundley.

Oak Ridge Easter Horse Show, April 7-8 The annual show will offer time-honored horse and rider competitions, along with a new Ranch/ Working Western division, Kids’ Zone, and more food vendors

Mark your calendars for the Oak Ridge Easter Horse Show on Friday and Saturday, April 7 and 8. This year for the first time the show will take place

The Northwest Observer • Totally local since 1996

at Hardin Farm and Stables in Stokesdale.

Produced by the Oak Ridge Horse Show Association (ORHSA), the annual show has been a popular event for over 75 years.

According to Richard Isley, show manager, the new location allows the group to spread out into four rings and offer an expanded lineup of activities.

...continued on p. 29

Ordinary people, Extraordinary ordinary impact “You give but little when you give of your possessions.

It is when you give of yourself that you truly give.” – Kahlil Gibran

by ANNETTE JOYCE

As a young boy, Michael Page saw firsthand what it was like to work and volunteer with the local fire department. His grandfather, the late Robert Southard, and his father, Mike Page, were both intimately involved with Summerfield Fire Department and Page spent a lot of time hanging out at the station while helping as much as a young kid could.

He fondly recalls many Sunday afternoons, when volunteers would pull the trucks out of the station and perform “radio checks” to make sure the equipment was working properly.

“My dad let me climb into the cab and answer the radio,” said Page, sporting his signature smile.

By the time he was 16, he was taking firefight firefighting classes and well on his way to becoming a third-generation volunteer firefighter for Summerfield Fire Department.

Page, now 45, is a full-time battalion chief for Greensboro Fire Department’s special ops division, where he works with the Urban Search and Rescue Team, Trail Rescue Team and the Drone Team.

His heart for serving and helping others has not only helped him in his chosen career as a professional firefighter, but has also been the motivation for him to continue volunteering with Summerfield Fire Department, where he serves as assistant chief at Station 9 on

Summerfield Road.

Those good examples shine through as Page goes about his duties as a firefighter. Jenna Daniels, Summerfield Fire Department’s assistant chief, describes Page as being approachable, with a passion for training and a willingness to share his knowledge with others.

“Everyone, from the junior firefighter to the chief, knows they can go to him,” Daniels said.

“He always has a positive attitude and manages to turn any negative situation into a teachable moment.”

Page strongly believes that a vital part of his job is making sure his fellow firefighters are in a good place.

“Michael checks on all of us on a regular basis, and he’s the first to lend an ear or a helping hand if someone is in need,” Daniels said.

Like many, Page has found that when he helps others, he gets back far more than he gives.

“Summerfield is home, and if I’ve got something to offer, I feel like it’s my job to do it,” Page said. “When something was happening, my dad and grandpa did whatever they needed to do. They set good examples for me to follow and that’s what I live by.”

Photo by Annette Joyce/NWO

Third-generation firefighter finds reward in helping others

Summerfield resident Michael Page works full time as a battalion chief with Greensboro Fire Depart Department’s special ops division, while also volunteering with Summerfield Fire Department.

One of the things he gets back is the family-like relationships that come from being part of the fire department and his community.

“The biggest goal for our fire chief, Chris Johnson, is to keep people safe, but creating a family atmosphere for the team is also import important,” Page said. “We need this. Throughout a firefighter’s career, you see things you can’t get off your mind. Having these strong relationships helps tremendously.”

Residents of Summerfield, Page and his wife, Carrie, who is assistant principal at Summerfield Elementary School, have a daughter, Camdyn, 13, and a son, Fisher, 6.

Thanks to Tire Max for sponsoring this monthly feature in which we recognize “ordinary” people in our readership area who make an extraordinary impact on others.

To nominate an “ordinary” person for this feature, email editor@nwobserver.com with their name, a detailed description of how they positively impact others, and your contact info.

Stokesdale

7705 Highway 68 N (336) 441-8066

Summerfield

4420 US Highway 220N (336) 793-5391

Madison

706 Burton Street (336) 548-6674

High Point

619 Greensboro Road (336) 885-4321

High Point

2410 Eastchester Dr (336) 841-6553

Eden

406 N. Bridge Street (336) 627-9400

COUNCIL MEETING ...continued from p. 2

price cut, Walker was the lone council member who voted against the $30,000 reduction. Sessoms didn’t vote on the matter because in Summerfield the mayor votes only to break a tie.

The town has owned the hardware building and the 0.3 acre on which it sits since June 2014, when it paid $66,709.21 for the property, known as the Gordon Southern Tract, Dee Hall, the town’s finance officer, said last year. That amounted to $41,709.21 for the land and $25,000 for the building.

The purchase of the hardware building was part of a larger transaction that also included the Gordon Northern Tract, consisting of 13.4 acres with a house and barn fronting U.S. 220. The bigger tract was the proposed site for a new town hall until the council halted the project last May. According to Hall, Summerfield paid a total of $399,000 for the combined northern and southern tracts, which are located on either side of N.C. 150 at Summerfield Road.

PNC is also trying to sell the historic Martin house for the town. Whitaker

reported that one party “is very interested in exploring” the purchase of the two-story house, located across Summerfield Road from the hardware building.

site of Bandera Farms Park from the Piedmont Land Conservancy cost $252,500, the town’s biggest capital expense, according to Dee Hall, the town’s finance officer.

The council scheduled the special called meeting to address town business before its regular monthly meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 21. That’s because town leaders anticipated that during the regular meeting landowner David Couch’s request for a text amendment to the town’s development rules would draw several hours of public comments – which it did (see related article on FC).

Summerfield spent another $141,419 on architectural services for the future town hall before the council halted the project last May due to higher than anticipated construction costs. The town also spent $89,024 on construction services, mostly for the renovation of Summerfield Community Center.

AUDIT. In other business during the special called meeting, Wade Greene, the town’s auditor, presented Summerfield’s financial audit for the fiscal year that ended June 30, 2022. He said the general fund was in “great shape,” with a fund balance, or reserves, totaling $6.43 million. That’s enough money to cover the town’s expenses for about three years, four months, he noted.

Capital spending last fiscal year reduced reserves by more than $520,000 from a fund balance of nearly $7 million in fiscal 2021.

Buying the property that’s the future

New Neew ew N

WATER TANK, LINES. Separately, the council agreed to hire engineering firm Freese and Nichols to prepare a report laying out plans for a proposed elevated water tank and about two miles of water lines.

The council agreed to pay Freese and Nichols no more than $91,500 for the report. Earlier in a preliminary report, the firm proposed construction of a 500,000-gallon elevated tank on the northern Gordon property. Water from a well or wells on the property would initially supply the tank, followed by the possibility that the town may later secure water from a neighboring jurisdiction.

Running for approximately two miles, trunk lines connected to fire hydrants would extend in two directions from the tank, according to the report. One would travel west on

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The other line would run south on Summerfield Road before turning east on Auburn Road. From there, it would cross U.S. 220 and run past the Food Lion shopping center.

The council hasn’t decided whether to proceed with construction of the tank, although it has dedicated $6.6 million in state and federal funds for the establishment of a municipal water system. As proposed, it would initially aid firefighting and later provide drinking water.

A&Y GREENWAY. In other business, the council agreed to hire design consultant Kimley-Horn to complete late-stage planning and engineering of the Atlantic and Yadkin Greenway on the southern end of Summerfield.

Kimley-Horn replaces consulting firm Stewart, hired by the town in 2015 to plan the southern route of the trail. The town recently terminated its contract with Stewart after Whitaker expressed his dissatisfaction with the firm, partly due to its lack of staffing.

Whitaker plans to negotiate terms and pricing of a contract with KimleyHorn. He plans to seek Council approval of the contract during an upcoming meeting.

COMMITTEE APPOINTMENTS. The council also appointed Gordon Vermillion to the Founders’ Day and the Trails and Open Space committees.

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March 2023 a monthly feature of the Northwest Observer

Patrick and Helen Land of Stokesdale told us that these two, Fuzz and Buddy, are the “lights of their lives.”

Kylie and Kate Pegram show off the newest s farm in addition to their family’ baby goat.

Stokesdale – Winnie, a ighing Just two days old and we oto, ph s thi in only two pounds ing be Winnie is currently bottle-fed by the girls.

Sonny and Wendy Evensen of Belews Creek shared this photo of their dogs, Madison (left) and Bear, lying contentedly on their matching chairs.

We

your pet or animal photos, and so do our readers!

email them to: photos@nwobserver.com

Thanks to the advertisers who made this section possible.

Saying goodbye to my ‘heart dog’ – and hello to Ricky

by ANNETTE JOYCE For nearly 11 years, my beloved Labrador, Charlie, and I shared a journey which led us through all sorts of canine adventures including agility, dock diving and our favorite – nosework. Sadly, that journey came to an end a few months ago, when my sweet, happy-go-lucky boy suddenly lost the use of his back legs and could no longer walk. Saying goodbye to him was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done.

have owned several other dogs, Charlie and I had a special connection formed through training for and competing in nosework trials.

Nosework is a canine odor detection sport in which dogs search out specific odors (“hides”) and their handlers recognize the odor has been found. Trials give both dog and handler the opportunity to test their skills and advance from the beginning level, NW1, up to the highest level, Summit.

While my husband, Kelly, and I

Photo by Annette Joyce/NWO

Charlie celebrates a great day for “Team Charlie” by giving his nosework handler and best friend, Annette Joyce, a big lick.

Charlie loved the sport and was

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We sure enjoyed the trials in which we did participate, though. Our last trial was in Moncure, North Carolina, last April, where we earned our highest Elite score ever and placed fifth in the competition.

very good at it – despite some of his handler’s (that would be me) stops and spurts. It took us awhile to get through NW1; we breezed through NW2 at the first trial, spent some time at NW3 and really started to have fun when we reached the Elite level.

With larger and tougher search areas, the Elite level was more challenging – yet surprisingly it was a more relaxed competition. Due to our inability to get into trials, we weren’t able to compete very much at the Elite level.

During that trial, we searched a large fenced-in play yard crowded with all sorts of equipment, benches, walls and pieces of art, a gym with several dozen fold-up chairs scattered about, a large cabin with multiple rooms crammed with furniture and a pavilion

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dog-loving friends say he was my “heart dog,” a term used to describe a oncein-a-lifetime relationship with a dog that’s so intense it changes your life.

Lovable Charlie was definitely that dog.

Photo by Annette Joyce/NWO

Before he passed away a few months ago, Charlie and I spent nearly 10 years training and for and competing in nosework competitions. full of picnic tables. Out of 19 hides, we found all but two. It was a good day for Team Charlie, and I cherish that memory.

Losing Charlie has left a hole in my heart that’s hard to explain. Some of my

Both of us went into nosework knowing absolutely nothing. He caught on fast and was very patient with me.

Along the way, he figured out all the treats were stashed in a pouch around my waist. Once he alerted that he had found the odor, if I wasn’t fast enough in rewarding him, he would actually come back to me and nudge the pouch, sometimes even opening it and taking out a few treats for himself.

He never gave up on me in the searches. Many times, if I hadn’t called “alert,” Charlie would return to the odor.

In one trial, the poor dog hit the same odor five times before I realized what was going on. We got better as we went along, but that last trial, I really felt we had gelled. I was eagerly looking forward to many more trials in the future, but sadly that wasn’t meant to be.

When we’ve lost a dog in the past, I’ve always wanted to get a puppy quickly to help ease the pain. With Charlie, it was different. I needed more time to grieve.

My friends told me that when the right pup came along, I would know, and within a few months he showed up in my Messenger app.

A friend sent me a photo of this young black Labrador puppy with the sweetest face and most soulful eyes. For me, it was love at first sight. I went to see him the next day. When he ran over to me with this goofy look on his face and fell into my lap, I knew he would be coming home with me.

Kelly and I named him Ricky – and no, unlike what most people think, he’s not named after Ricky Bobby, the crazy character played by actor Will Ferrell in the 2006 movie “Talladega Nights”

Photo by Annette Joyce/NWO

Ricky is helping me ease the pain of losing my “heart dog,” Charlie. (we’ve never even seen that movie).

Ricky, who likes to retrieve golf balls for my husband, is named after professional golfer Ricky Fowler.

I still miss my sweet Charlie, but Ricky has helped with the pain. Like Charlie, he has a love of the game of nosework and we’ve started training. I don’t know if we’ll ever be as good as Charlie and I had become, but we’ll certainly have fun finding out.

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The Northwest Observer • Totally local since 1996

MARCH 2 - 15, 2023 15

Stingrays are closely related to sharks. Both have existed since before the dinosaurs, over 150 million years ago!

&

Thank you to Greensboro Science Center for sponsoring this issue’s Kids’ Korner

r AWESOME ANIMALS e n r o K ’ s d i K Stingrays did you know?

• Stingrays are closely related to sharks. Both are part of the cartilaginous fish

find the7 differences

family, meaning they have no bones in their body – their skeleton is made up of flexible cartilage (the bendy stuff that your ears and nose are made from!).

• Stingray babies are able to swim and feed and need practically no help from the parents from the moment they are born! However, their mothers usually stay with them until they are around 3 years old to protect them from predators.

• Females are larger than males and live longer. The female stingray lifespan averages 15-22 years while the male’s lifespan is an average of 5-7 years.

• Stingrays’ eyes are on top of their bodies, yet their mouth, gills, and nostrils are on the underside. Because of this, stingrays cannot see their prey, instead they use smell and electroreceptors to find food.

• While stingrays are generally friendly creatures, they can contain venom in their spines on their tails. As stingrays tend to hang out in shallow waters and bury themselves in sand, people often stand on them. When this happens, the stingray’s survival instinct kicks in and its tail is thrust into the person’s foot or leg, releasing venom.

• Stingrays are eaten in many cuisines around the world. In Singapore and Malaysia, stingray is grilled over charcoal, and served with spicy sauces.

• The leathery skin of the ray is often used to make exotic shoes, boots, belts, wallets, jackets, and cellphone cases. In Japan, the skin is sometimes used as an underlayer on Japanese sword hilts due to its hard, rough texture that keeps the layer on top (traditionally made of silk) from sliding on the handle during use.

Adoptable Pets

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His adoption fee is $2,000.

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Meet Chadwick – aka Tiny Spiny – a cute little 2-year-old hedgehog who is as sweet as can be. When he recently came into our program, he was a little overweight and had very dry/flaky skin; his fosters have begun switching him from an all-cat-chow diet to a mostly insect diet (hedgehogs are primarily insectivores; their diet should consist 80% of insects like mealworms). We’ve also added enrichment time to his daily activities. To combat his dry skin, we are bathing him weekly with warm water and gently scrubbing his spines. Hedgehogs should get monthly baths to keep their skin clean and healthy. Chad’s ideal home is one where he will get lots of love and snuggles (he loves cuddling up on his foster dad’s chest).

If interested in adopting Houston, Chadwick, or any of the other adoptable animals at Red Dog Farm, please fill out an application at www.reddogfarm.com.

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OLLIE

Ollie is a 3-year-old pit bull terrier mix. Weighing in at 53 pounds, Ollie is an optimistic guy who believes in luck – he’s wearing green and hoping for the “luck of the Irish.”

His favorite hobby is watching for ollies whenever he spots a skateboarder. (The ollie is a skateboarding trick where the rider and board leap into the air without the use of the rider’s hands.) Ollie is neutered and heartworm negative. Please be Ollie’s lucky star; ask for him by ID# GCAS-A-7525.

Guilford County Animal Resource Center

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Carlie Rae Beauty Owner: Carlie Snyder Helping you shine in your own natural beauty After graduating from Appalachian State University in the spring of 2022 with degrees in both Public Health and Spanish, Carlie Snyder decided to attend esthetician school full-time to pursue her dream of entering the beauty industry. Last October, she opened Carlie Rae Beauty.

Carlie Rae Beauty’s services include eyelash applications, facials and upperbody waxing, with eyelash extensions being the most requested service.

The top priorities at Carlie Rae Beauty are sanitation, education and a guaranteed personalized experience for each client. Carlie said her clients choose the salon over others because they know they have her full care and attention, while also being able to relax in a safe, clean environment.

“The symbol for Carlie Rae Beauty is a disco ball – you’ll see them in the logo, on social media, and even around the salon,” Carlie noted. “A disco ball is made up of tiny mirrors that have been carefully pieced together to create something so beautiful that it shines when light hits it. It’s the perfect symbol for the goal for each client at Carlie Rae Beauty: to help them shine in their own natural beauty!”

On a personal note: Carlie grew up in the small town of Stoneville, and moved to Summerfield with her par-

The Northwest Observer • Totally local since 1996

ents and two brothers when she was in high school. She moved to Greensboro after graduating from Appalachian State University, where she served as the president of her sorority, Zeta Tau Alpha.

“Our philanthropy was breast cancer education awareness and survivor recognition, which I devoted several hundred hours towards during my college years,” Carlie said. “Breast cancer education is something that I’ll always be passionate about, since one in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime.”

Carlie enjoys spending free time with her family, doing puzzles, watching Netflix and being at her “home away from home,” Oak Island beach.

Fun fact about Carlie: “I have studied Spanish and Public Health abroad four times in countries such as Nicaragua, Guatemala and Spain.”

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The Northwest Observer • Totally local since 1996

MARCH 2 - 15, 2023 19

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GREENSBORO (Next to Lowe’s)•• 336-644-7204 expires 8/6/2015 (Next to Lowe’s) 336-644-7204 Cardinal Center ® GREENSBORO per customer. Valid only at Gunter’s Crossing: 5828 N. Church St • 644-7204 Oak Ridge Commons • 2205 Oak Ridge Rd OAK RIDGE 2202 Fleming Rd • 336-665-0880 Oak Ridge Commons, Car- GREENSBORO Cardinal Center: 2202 Fleming Rd • 665-0880 Oak Ridge Commons • 2205 Oak Ridge Rd “I want them to enjoy their time here and Gunter’s Crossing • 5828 N. Church St. OAK RIDGE Center and Gunter’s (Hwys 150 & 68) • 336-643-3991 Cardinal Center: 2202 Fleming Rd • (336) 665-0880 (Hwys 150 & 68) • 336-643-3991 haircut ®dinal (Next to Lowe’s) • 336-644-7204 Crossing locations. Gunter’s Crossing: 5828 N. Church St • 644-7204 always welcomed,” Mun emphasized.

Oak644-7204 Ridge Commons • 2205 Oak feel Ridge Rd RIDGE Gunter’s Crossing: 5828OAK N Church St • (336) Not valid with any other offers. Limit Oak Ridge Commons • 2205 Oak Ridge Rd one coupon per customer. Valid only at (Hwys 150 & 68) • 336-643-3991To complement its cozy, inviting atmosphere, (Hwys 150 & 68) • 336-643-3991 Oak Ridge Commons, Cardinal Center expires 4/1/2023 Download our free app and Gunter’s Crossing locations. or visit greatclips.com Bistro 150’s regular menu offers an expansive

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favorites are ramen bowls, which come with a choice of fresh vegetables, chicken, pork, shrimp, or a combination.

Daily dinner specials include customer favorites such as ahi tuna, and shrimp and grits – but head chef April Littreal is also up for intriguing customers’ palates with a bit of culinary adventure. Dishes that honor Mun’s Korean heritage are always popular, and most recently, Littreal’s kale, potato and sausage soup was a big hit.

Sunday brunch, served from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., features signature dishes ranging from a traditional breakfast to the hearty “Skillet”; blueberry pancakes and fruit bowls are also customer favorites.

Several years ago Mun opened the Oak Ridge Room, beside the Bistro, in response to customers’ requests for private event space.

The large, open room can accommodate up to

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SHOP • DINE • ENJOY

Oak Ridge, at the corner of NC Highways 68 and 150 Photo by Annette Joyce/NWO

Kitchen staff members (L to R) Juan Salinas, Jim Mun and April Littreal enjoy working together to create a wide range of fresh culinary delights that keep Bistro 150 customers coming back again and again.

50 people and is an attractive venue for birthday and graduation parties, rehearsal dinners, bridal and baby showers, anniversaries and other celebrations. Catering can be arranged with outside food vendors or with the Bistro, and Mun and her team handle all the drinks, set-up of tables and chairs, and clean-up.

“A lot of people like the idea of having a nice, home-like place to gather,” Mun said. “They also like not having to worry about setting up beforehand or cleaning up afterward.”

Several businesses and nonprofits also routinely meet in the Oak Ridge Room, often combining business with the enjoyment of tasty, freshly made food purchased from the Bistro.

On Saturday evenings local artists perform live music from 6 to 9 p.m.

In warmer weather, customers who enjoy eating outside can dine on the Bistro’s front patio area.

Bistro 150 has a full ABC permit, and offers an affordably priced wine list, a wide array of bottled and draft beers, and liquors.

“We strive to complete your dining experience with flavor, flair and a warm smile,” Mun said.

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person or watch the meeting on the town’s YouTube channel (a link to the recorded meeting will also be posted on the town’s Facebook page).

Visit www.oakridgenc.com for more info or a meeting agenda.

calendar

MARCH 3 & 4

VENDORS INVITED

 NW Guilford Farmers & Specialty Market | Beginning May 3 and going through Oct. 28, the seasonal farmers markets previously held in Oak Ridge and Summerfield will be combined into one market that takes place Wednesday evenings from 4 p.m. to dusk and Saturday mornings from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Greensboro Performing Arts, 7200 Summerfield Road. If you are interested in becoming a vendor for the 2023 season, call Nicki Wagoner, (336) 817-7765 (leave a message) or email fromtheearthfm@gmail.com.

THURSDAY, MARCH 2  ORTC meeting | Oak Ridge Town Council will meet March 2, starting at 7 p.m. at Oak Ridge Town Hall, 8315 Linville Road. Attend in

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 Kids consignment sale | St. Paul’s Catholic

Church at 2715 Horse Pen Creek Road in northwest Greensboro will host a kids consignment sale Friday, March 3, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Saturday, March 4, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Some items will be 50% off on Saturday. Learn more at www.saintpaulskidssale.com.

SATURDAY, MARCH 4  Waggin’ Wild 5K & fun run | Loving Pet Proj-

ect NC invites dogs and their families to the 10th annual Waggin’ Wild 5K & fun run on March 4 at Bur-Mil Park, 5834 Bur-Mil Club Road in northwest Greensboro. Race day registration starts at 9 a.m. The 5K will start at 10:30 a.m., and the fun run will start at 10:35 a.m. After the

race, stick around for awards, prizes, food, beverages and more! Cost for the 5K is $35; the fun run is $25. All proceeds will go towards LPPNC’s mission of eradicating pet overpopulation through spaying and neutering and also caring for rescue pets. Visit https://runsignup.com/Race/NC/ Greensboro/WagginWild5k to learn more and/ or register.  Oak Ridge Democrats meeting | Guilford

County Democratic Party precincts OR1 and OR2 will meet March 4, starting at 10 a.m. at Oak Ridge Town Hall, 8315 Linville Road. The purpose of the meeting is to begin preparations for 2024 elections at the county, state and national level. More info: Mike Stoller (OR1), (336) 643-0937, or Bill West (OR2), (910) 520-4254.  Bags & Swag Bingo | Northern Guilford Middle

School PTSA will host Bags & Swag Bingo March 4 at Summerfield Farms, 3203 Pleasant Ridge Road.

Doors open at 5 p.m. with a buffet dinner catered by 1618 and adult beverages until 7 p.m., followed

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Coming March 30

Spring 2023 edition LAST CALL to reserve your ad space!

22 MARCH 2 - 15, 2023

Home-grown stories about everything from maintaining and improving your home, to housing trends, history and humor of life in northwest Guilford County In print every spring and fall and online year-round at nwobserver.com

Contact us at advertising@nwobserver.com or (336) 644-7035, ext. 11, to secure your spot The Northwest Observer • Totally local since 1996

by 20 games of bingo. The winner of each bingo game will receive a new designer bag (including purses, luggage and a Yeti cooler). The theme is country/western, so wear denim, flannel, boots, etc.

Cost per ticket is $60, which includes dinner, one drink and 20 games of bingo; tickets per drink and per bingo game will also be available for purchase.

There will also be a silent auction. All proceeds will go to Northern Guilford Middle School projects. Thanks to local businesses and individuals for donating auction items and designer bags. Visit www.facebook.com/NGMS.PTSA.Nighthawks to learn more and/or purchase tickets. More info: ngmsptsarocks@gmail.com.

TUESDAY, MARCH 7

MARCH 9, 14 & 16

 Kiwanis Club | Kiwanis Club of Northwest Guil-

 Senior programs | Senior Resources of Guil-

ford, a nonprofit that engages in projects focused on children in our community, will meet March 7, starting at 12 noon at Bill’s Pizza, 1431 N.C. 68 in Oak Ridge. More info: nwgkiwanis@gmail.com.  SMA meeting | Summerfield Merchants Association (SMA), which focuses on supporting local businesses, nonprofits and the Summerfield

community, invites professionals who live in Summerfield or operate a business in Summerfield to a St. Patrick’s Day-themed meeting March 7, 6:15 to 8 p.m. Learn more about SMA or RSVP to attend the meeting at www.summerfieldmerchant.com.

on March 16 at Summerfield First Baptist Church (2300 Scalesville Road). To learn more and/or RSVP for the program at Center UMC, contact the church at (336) 643-7765; for the others, call (336) 373-4816, ext. 265.

THURSDAY, MARCH 9

MONDAY, MARCH 13

 Stokesdale Town Council meeting | Stokesdale Town Council will meet March 9, starting at 7 p.m. at Stokesdale Town Hall, 8325 Angel Pardue Road. Citizens may attend in person, or watch the meeting on the town’s YouTube channel. Visit www.stokesdale.org for a meeting agenda. More info: (336) 643-4011.

 NWGWC meeting | Northwest Guilford Woman’s Club (NWGWC), a nonprofit whose members share a commitment to community service, will hold its monthly meeting March 13, starting at 7 p.m. To learn more about NWGWC or to attend the meeting as a guest, contact Tiffany Hansen, president, at (336) 404-8038 or tiffanykhansen96@gmail.com.

ford County will sponsor a senior program including activities and a take-home lunch on March 9, 10:30 a.m. to 12 noon, at Stokesdale United Methodist Church (8305 Loyola Drive); on March 14 at Center UMC (6142 Lake Brandt Road in northern Greensboro) and Shady Grove Wesleyan Church (119 N. Bunker Hill Road in Colfax); and

TUESDAY, MARCH 14  Summerfield Town Council meeting | Summer-

field Town Council will meet March 14, starting at 6:30 p.m. at Summerfield Community Center, 5404 Centerfield Road. The meeting will be livestreamed on the Town’s Facebook page. Visit www.summerfieldnc.gov for a meeting agenda.

More info: (336) 643-8655.

Submit your events online at Click “community calendar” on the left-hand side Deadline for inclusion in each issue is ... 9 a.m. on Monday

NOW REGISTERING FOR SUMMER CAMP!

A Summer Full of Fun at the Y! Find Your Fun. Find Your Y. ymcagreensboro.org/summer

The Northwest Observer • Totally local since 1996

MARCH 2 - 15, 2023 23

Youth

welcome to ...

Sync A regular section in the Northwest Observer focused on our local youth and the adults who positively impact them.

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Congratulations to Reynolds & Stoner Orthodontics! Our practice continues to be in the top 1% of all Invisalign providers. Since 2021, we have been the only office in the Triad with this award which means you get experience and expertise when you see our orthodontic specialists. Call or text our office to schedule a FREE consultation with either of the doctors in our private practice.

NWMS teachers/coaches receive Quilts of Valor NW GUILFORD – Marty Smith, Quilts of Valor chair, Guilford Battle Chapter NSDAR (National Society Daughters of the American Revolution), worked with Northwest Middle School students and members of the school’s FCCLA O R Tand H OCommunity D O N T I Leaders CS (Family, Career of America) to create Quilts of Valor for two of the school’s teachers/coaches, Kevin Stewart and Michael Shaw, who are veterans. The coaches were presented with the quilts in a surprise gathering on Feb. 23.

NWMS students and FCCLA members pose with their two coaches/ teachers who received the Quilts of Valors they created, and with members of the Guilford Battle Chapter NSDAR. The coaches were surprised when the students presented them with the quilts on Feb. 23.

Reynolds & Stoner

More than 18 students, all members of FCCLA, worked after school learning how to make quilts with NSDAR members Marty Smith, Sally Smith and Frankie Drake.

Photos courtesy of Guilford Battle Chapter, NSDAR

(L to R) Marty Smith, Quilts of Valor chair; NWMS teacher/coach Kevin Stewart NWMS teacher Melissa Craven, NSDAR member Sally Smith and NWMS teacher/coach Michael Shaw.

“It was fun” the students agreed, while sharing that they not only gained sewing skills, but through the process of making the quilts they heightened their awareness of the role of veterans, and their appreciation for the school’s two teachers/coaches who served their country in the armed forces.

email your

school news to:

“Two of the pillars of DAR are education and patriotism. Our ladies were thrilled to work with these young people,” said NSDAR member Laura Mortensen.

24 MARCH 2 - 15, 2023

youth/

communitynews@ nwobserver.com The Northwest Observer • Totally local since 1996

LL LL

ORYA is excited to welcome future player Knox Jessup to the world!

We will have a team for you when you’re ready!

ORYA.ORG TO REGISTER For more information about ORYA or to register for upcoming sports and programs, visit ORYA.ORG

Our local youth sports programs offer Whether playing in Oak Ridge, Summerfield or Stokesdale, our youth associations allow parents Amazing Opportunities for parents! to be part of something they will cherish forever.

All of our local sports programs are volunteer run.

What can I do after registering my kid for a sport?

• Volunteer to be a COACH, ASSISTANT COACH or TEAM MANAGER • Ask the sports director(s) if the program needs any ROLES filled • Be a SPONSOR and help enlist new sponsors!

• Plan a team PARTY or other event • Get to KNOW THE FAMILIES on your team • Identify things that can be improved and be PART OF THE SOLUTION Things to remember before the seasons begin: • These are KIDS playing KIDS • Today's opponent may be tomorrow's TEAMMATE • RESPECT your REFEREES, UMPIRES and OFFICIALS at all times!

• DON'T coach from the SIDELINES • RESPECT the FACILITIES. Help keep them clean.

• MODEL sportsmanship for our kids • SUPPORT your coaches and program Leaders

Enjoy the spring season!

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NWHS wrestlers keep momentum going After winning the dualteam state wrestling championship on Feb. 4, NWHS wrestlers celebrate teammate’s state championship and five other teammates placing in top 6 on Feb. 18

by PATTI STOKES Combine hard work, preparation, conditioning, discipline, commitment to a long season – and momentum, lots of momentum – and you’ve got the makings for a state championship.

Northwest High School head wrestling coach Ron Bare and his team should know – they just experienced the thrill of a state championship on Feb. 4. For Bare, it was the second time in four years. For his wrestlers, who came within two points of claiming the state championship last year,

it was doubly thrilling.

Winning the conference championship after being undefeated during the regular season certainly provided some momentum, but from there, the Vikings had to win four more matches before competing in the state finals.

“The first couple of matches, we benefited from being the No. 1 seed,” Bare said.

On Jan. 28, his wrestlers defeated Olympic 65-18 in Round 1, then defeated Watauga 51-27 in Round 2.

Then on Feb. 1, they defeated Mooresville 30-27 in Round 3.

Reluctant to focus too much on any individual wrestler, Bare did give a shoutout to 220-pound wrestler Trey Tuggle.

“He was ranked 33rd in the state and beat the No. 1-seeded kid (in the match against Mooresville),” Bare said. “No matter how we looked at it, we couldn’t have expected that – especially in that situation.”

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The Vikings went on to defeat Piedmont 35-28 in Round 4, before heading to the final match on Feb. 4.

Looking at the final 52-24 score, defeating Laney for the state championship appears to have been easy.

It wasn’t, Bare said, while acknowledging that many of his wrestlers having had the experience of walking into the arena for a state championship match last year certainly helped.

“You can’t duplicate that experience during the season,” he said. “Even though we lost last year, we knew what to expect … they (our wrestlers) knew how tough it is.”

Twenty-two of the team’s 38 wrestlers weighed in for the state finals, with 14 ultimately competing. Nick Byrd got things off

to a great start with a pin in 55 seconds.

“He got the momentum going against a kid who could win either way,” Bare said. “In that type of match, he was very aggressive. We’re really proud of him – he’s a guy who hadn’t had as much success as some of the other wrestlers, but did his job really well.”

After Byrd’s leadoff win, his teammates carried the momentum forward all the way to their decisive win.

“Even though we went 34-0 for the season, we had a lot of ups and downs,” Bare noted. “The kids really have to rely on their teammates to be successful.

We had a really great team effort. They set their goal last year and did everything I asked them to do, in-season and off-season.”

The final match against Laney on Feb. 4: 285 lbs. – Nick Byrd (NWHS) over Michael Williams (Laney) by fall (0:55) (NWHS leads 6-0)

145 lbs. – Noah Thomas (Laney) over Will Gibson (NWHS) by decision (Dec 4-1) (NWHS leads 34-9)

106 lbs. – Kyle Pruden (NWHS) over Ayden Arrington (Laney) by fall (0:32) (NWHS leads 12-0)

152 lbs. – Dylan Attridge (NWHS) over Jacob Rosen (Laney) by fall (3:17) (NWHS leads 40-9)

113 lbs. – Tristen Lawrence (NWHS) over Kingston Neal (Laney) by major decision (MD 10-1) (NWHS leads 16-0)

160 lbs. – Drew Pepin (NWHS) over Marquise Kelly (Laney) by fall (0:31) (NWHS leads 46-9)

120 lbs. – Eli Pendergrass (NWHS) over Samuel McQueen (Laney) by fall (1:43) (NWHS leads 22-0)

170 lbs. – Tristan Cotto (Laney) over Cole Vermilyea (NWHS) by decision (Dec 3-1) (NWHS leads 46-12)

126 lbs. – Jackson Gibson (NWHS) over Robert Tann (Laney) by fall (0:38) (NWHS leads 28-0)

182 lbs. – Alex Hopper (Laney) over Alex Rodriguez (NWHS) by fall (1:36) (NWHS leads 46-18)

132 lbs. – Dylan Pepin (NWHS) over Tyler Buonocore (Laney) by fall (2:33) (NWHS leads 34-0)

195 lbs. – Trystan Richardson (Laney) over Derik Mirts (NWHS) by fall (5:11) (NWHS leads 46-24)

138 lbs. – Avery Buonocore (Laney) over Andrew Harger (NWHS) by fall (1:29) (NWHS leads 34-6)

220 lbs. – Trey Tuggle (NWHS) over Sa’ir Folks (Laney) by fall (1:26) (NWHS finishes 52-24)

Individual state wrestling finals on Feb. 4: In the individual state wrestling finals on Feb. 18, senior Drew Pepin, 160 pounds, was a 1st place state

champion. This was Drew’s second individual state championship.

The following Northwest wrestlers placed in the individual state finals:

Kyle Pruden, 106 pounds, placed 5th; Eli Pendergrass, 120 pounds, placed The Northwest Observer •2nd Totally since 1996 (afterlocal placing 4th last year); Dylan

Pepin, 132 pounds, placed 5th; William Gibson, 138 pounds, placed 3rd; and Dylan Attridge, 152 lbs, placed 6th.

PAYNE STAFFORD ...continued from p. 9

“It just goes to show you that if you set up your head to do anything and you work at it, the good Lord will find a way for you,” he added.

Polly attended Oak Ridge United Methodist Church from the time she was 9, and it became Payne’s church also. For almost 60 years Polly was a Sunday School teacher, and Payne served as an usher.

When Payne retired from the post office, he made it his mission to help elderly people in any way he could.

“I had about four or five people who I helped, mowing their yards and fixing their cars,” he said.

When asked about his reputation for being able to “fix just about anything,” Payne replied humbly, “I guess I’m pretty well gifted.”

Twenty years ago, at age 80, Payne had quintuple bypass surgery.

“The doctor told me, ‘If you’ll have this operation, I’ll give you 20 more years – but I won’t give you one day more.’”

He’s gotten his 20 years, and that rejuvenated heart is still going strong.

As Payne looks back on his life, one of the things he’s most grateful for is to have had Polly it in for almost 70 years.

He lovingly cared for her when her health declined, fulfilling his commitment when they married that he would cherish her in sickness and in health; Polly died in August 2016 at age 92.

“There’s never been a finer woman than Polly,” Payne said. “I don’t think I would have ever found a better woman to put up with me the way she did…

No one could fill her shoes.”

At age 100, Payne still lives independently, with the support of friends and family who check in on him often and

lend a helping hand whenever needed.

His brother’s son, Gary Stafford, is “No. 1 in my book,” he said. Gary mows the field beside Payne’s house and helps in numerous other ways.

Gary’s sister, Patricia Stafford, calls Payne every night. And although Payne and Polly’s two daughters are in poor health, their husbands do what they can for him as well.

ATTENTION Northwest High School Seniors

Payne treasures the regular visits and phone calls from friends and family, as well as the meals many people bring to ensure he eats well (of his many talents, he said cooking is not one of them).

Patricia extends her thanks to the people who deliver food to her uncle.

“Although he cleans his house, makes his bed daily, does his laundry, sews, paints, picks up limbs, mows and works on his lawnmowers, he does not cook,” she said.

“I guess I must have done something good somewhere down the line, because they treat me well,” Payne said of his family members, friends and neighbors. “That’s what makes me want to live, how good they are to me. I love them all.”

Patricia said she calls “Uncle Payne” nightly to make sure he is safe inside his home.

“Before ending the call, he always ends by saying, ‘We love you,’” she said.

“Since he lives alone, I have decided the ‘we’ refers to him and the Lord.”

Most likely she’s right. Payne’s Bible is always close by his side; he said he can’t imagine how anyone lives without having faith in God, and to this day he’s grateful that “the good Lord let us come back (from the war) and live … the good Lord, He took care of us.”

And He is still doing it.

Apply now for the Merchants of Oak Ridge

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Guidelines and application are available at the NWHS counselor’s office and at merchantsofoakridgenc.com/ scholarshipfund

Local business leaders working together

The Northwest Observer • Totally local since 1996

MARCH 2 - 15, 2023 27

‘ONE PILL CAN KILL’ ...continued from p. 1

“You cannot get treatment for your child in the morgue,” said Deaton, a counselor at the school and one of the organizers of the town hall meeting last Wednesday, Feb. 22.

“Parents, you cannot say this enough to your kids – one pill can kill.”

Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid prescribed for treating advanced cancer and other severe pain. Fifty to 100 times more powerful than morphine, the illegal production of the drug and its distribution through illicit drug markets is increasingly linked to overdoses and deaths, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) reported last month that Guilford County had 249 confirmed overdose deaths in 2021, the most of any county in the state. Guilford’s number of deaths jumped nearly 52%, from 164 in 2020.

As overdose deaths rose statewide, DHHS said more than 77% of them “likely involved fentanyl, often in combination with other substances.”

The department added that nine in 10 of the deaths statewide were unintentional.

Fentanyl is sold illegally for its heroin-like euphoric effect. Mixing the drug with heroin and cocaine and using it to produce counterfeit versions of Adderall and Xanax – commonly used by high school and college students as “study drugs” – is attributing to the rise in deaths, according to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).

28 MARCH 2 - 15, 2023

Photo by Chris Burritt/NWO

Northern Guilford High School guidance counselor Leslie Deaton speaks with Guilford County School Board member Deborah Napper (not shown) after the Fentanyl Town Hall on Feb. 22. During the town hall presentation, Deaton shared her personal experience with losing a son to a fentanyl overdose about 1 ½ years ago.

“There are indications that drug trafficking organizations are specifically targeting kids and teens by creating counterfeit pills in a variety of shapes and bright colors to appeal to that age group,” according to a DEA fact sheet about the fake medicines.

ATTENTION

HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS living in Northwest High School district

Scholarship Opportunity Oak Ridge Lions Club will award a $2,500 scholarship this May to a high school senior who lives in the Northwest High School district and will be enrolled in an institute of higher learning next fall.

To be eligible, the senior must live within the Northwest High School district, but may attend Northwest High School, a private or other public school, or be homeschooled.

Application DEADLINE is April 4.

Scan the QR code to access the online scholarship application, or email OakRidgeLionsClubNC@gmail.com for an application.

Facebook.com/OakRidgeNCLions The Northwest Observer • Totally local since 1996

The agency said pills containing lethal amounts of fentanyl or methamphetamine “are extremely dangerous because they often appear identical to legitimate prescription pills, and the user is likely unaware of how lethal they can be.”

“These counterfeit pills are created to drive addiction,” Deaton told the audience last week. “It only takes one or two and you are hooked.”

During the town hall meeting, fentanyl’s deadly consequences were personal and painful. Propped against the auditorium stage were five posters and a picture of overdose victims.

“Not a single student out there is immune; no one is invincible,” said Jay Simpson, a Northern Guilford teacher who helped organize the event. “It will take anyone’s life with no regard for the people it destroys in the process.”

Although students attended the meeting, it was billed as a town hall gathering for parents. Northern Guilford hosted town hall meetings for students in December, aiming to educate them ahead of the holiday break when students may be tempted to experiment with drugs.

“Experimenting can be deadly,” Amy Neville, founder of the Alexander Neville Foundation, told the audience. “It’s not worth the risk.”

Neville started the foundation after the 2020 death of her 14-year-old son from fentanyl poisoning. Peer pressure, isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic, depression influenced by social media and the ease of buying drugs online have contributed to risks for young people, she said.

Ward Blanchard, a licensed clinical addiction specialist in Charlotte, urged parents to engage in “crucial conversations” with their children – talking in

person, not via text messages.

belonged to clubs and had many friends, according to his mother.

“We’ve got to learn to reengage, to be present,” said Blanchard, who also recommended treating children with tough love. “You are their parent, not their best friend,” he said.

“From the outside looking in, everything sparkled,” she said.

During her presentation, Deaton, the Northern Guilford counselor, shared advice as though it was coming from her son, Will. A graduate of Grimsley High School in Greensboro and North Carolina State University, he died after unknowingly taking Xanax, an anxiety medication, laced with fentanyl. Will had planned to join the U.S. Navy.

“Never say never” was the first message shared by Deaton, as though it was coming from her son, a seemingly unlikely candidate for drug use.

He had “stellar grades” at Grimsley, where he played on three sports teams,

Deaton said she recognized her son’s “mask of perfection” that covered up painful childhood experiences.

Later in high school, he was prescribed Adderall for “attention issues” and pain medication after the removal of his wisdom teeth, she said.

Years later, Deaton said she learned that her son “had never, ever forgotten the feeling of that pain pill” prescribed by the oral surgeon who extracted his wisdom teeth.

In a piece of advice that Deaton believes her son would have recommended, she urged parents to check their children’s phones. She described the devices as “the drug dealer in the pocket” that, along with the online availability of pills, is turning youth into the “prey” of the illegal drug trade.

they are accessible. At that point, no one was dying. They are 19. They are invincible.”

enough fentanyl to kill five people, she said.

Deaton said her son eventually entered rehabilitation because he wanted to recover from his addiction, which he had told his mother “hijacked my brain…It has you by the throat.”

“There is no such thing as safe experimentation,” Deaton said. “Taking a pill that is not prescribed to you or is not purchased from a licensed pharmacy is asking to die.’’

She said her son had “absolutely no intention of dying” when he unwittingly took the fatal dose of fentanyl in July 2021. Months later, the toxicology report showed that he had taken

Keep up with what’s up: /NorthwestObserver

At N.C. State, Deaton’s son joined a fraternity, an environment where “the pills are running rampant,” she said.

“They are everywhere; they are easy;

OAK RIDGE EASTER HORSE SHOW ...continued from p. 10

“We’re taking advantage of that opportunity and we’ve got a full schedule planned for the weekend,” he said.

Isley is especially excited about adding a Ranch/Working Western division this year, which will showcase a horse and rider’s ability to work with cattle.

“This is one of the hottest growing areas in the equine industry right now,” Isley said.

In addition, the show is expanding its vendor offerings, which includes horse and tack suppliers, artists, potters and craftspeople.

who will set up in “Food Truck Alley,” located in the farm’s large barn.

Show organizers are also acquiring commitments from food vendors,

Purchase tickets in advance at www.oakridgehorseshow.org

To make the horse show even more kid-friendly, ORHSA has added a Kids’ Zone which features Guilford County Fire Department’s smokehouse, a petting zoo and a visit from the Easter Bunny.

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The Northwest Observer • Totally local since 1996

MARCH 2 - 15, 2023 29

liberties with children and first-degree statutory rape.

CRIME / INCIDENT report

PAROLE VIOLATION

District 1 Sheriff’s Office

Feb. 14 | A 31-year-old male was arrested in the 2800 block of Elim Shores Terrace in northwest Greensboro (near Fleming Road) for a parole violation and also cited for not having an operator’s license and speeding.

has recently responded to the following incidents in northwest/northern Guilford County ...

ASSAULT/DOMESTIC INCIDENT

mation for a $90 purchase.

Feb. 12 | Law enforcement officers responded to a disturbance call in the 7700 block of Alcorn Road in Oak Ridge.

Feb. 17 | A resident of the 7700 block of Daltonshire Drive in Oak Ridge (off N.C. 68 N) reported an unknown suspect defrauded her of $1,996.

Feb. 14 | Officers responded to a reported assault involving a physical altercation in the 8300 block of Lakedale Circle in Colfax (near Sandy Ridge Road).

Feb. 21 | A resident of the 6800 block of Polo Farms Drive in Summerfield (off Strawberry Road) reported that between Jan. 18 and Feb. 21 an unknown suspect stole $3,000 in cryptocurrency.

Feb. 20 | Officers responded to a reported assault involving a physical altercation in the 6700 block of Lunsfield Court in Summerfield (near Strawberry Road).

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Feb. 22 | Officers responded to a domestic incident in the 8500 block of Case Ridge Drive in Oak Ridge (off N.C. 68 N).

Feb. 25 | Officers responded to a reported assault involving a physical altercation in the 6900 block of Brandi Wood Circle in Summerfield (near Oak Ridge Road).

Feb. 24 | A resident of the 7500 block of Bartonshire Court in Oak Ridge (near N.C. 68 N) reported an unknown suspect defrauded her of $499.

INDECENT LIBERTIES Feb. 24 | A 34-year-old male was arrested in the 4000 block of Eight Belles Lane in northwest Greensboro (off Horse Pen Creek Road) for indecent

SCHOOL FIGHT Feb. 23 | Officers responded to a fight among students at Northwest High School at 10:12 a.m.

THEFT Feb. 14 | An employee of the Quality Mart convenience store/gas station in Oak Ridge reported an unknown suspect shoplifted two cartons of Newport cigarettes, worth $152.87 altogether.

Feb. 21 | A resident of the 8100 block of Spotswood Road in Summerfield (off U.S. 158) reported a known suspect stole his vehicle.

Feb. 26 | An employee of Circle K gas station in Colfax reported an unknown suspect shoplifted four alcoholic beverages, worth $97.96 altogether.

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Feb. 26 | A 41-year-old male was arrested in the 8400 block of Adkins Road in Colfax for assault on a female, identity theft, resisting/delaying/ obstructing a police officer and several out-of-county offenses.

DEATH INVESTIGATION Feb. 17 | Officers conducted a death investigation involving alcohol in the 4400 block of U.S. 220 N in Summerfield.

FALSE IMPRISONMENT Feb. 14 | A 22-year-old male was arrested in the 6400 block of Old Oak Ridge Road in northwest Greensboro for false imprisonment.

FRAUD Feb. 13 | A resident of the 7500 block of N.C. 68 N in Oak Ridge reported an The Northwest Observer • Totally local since 1996 unknown suspect used her EBT infor-

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Feb. 17 | A resident of the 7700 block of Tannery Road in Summerfield (near Summerfield Road) reported an unknown suspect caused $4,500 worth of damage to his property.

Feb. 25 | A 25-year-old male was cited in the 8400 block of Norcross Road/Sandy Ridge Road in Colfax for carrying a concealed weapon without a permit.

VEHICULAR INCIDENTS Feb. 21 | Officers responded to a traffic accident on private property in the 700 block of Lakedale Road in Colfax (near Sandy Ridge Road).

Feb. 25 | Officers responded to a report of a suspicious vehicle in the 8400 block of Adkins Road in Colfax.

Feb. 27 | A 23-year-old female was cited in the 100 block of I-73 N/U.S. 158 in Summerfield for carrying a concealed weapon without a permit and driving with a revoked license.

Feb. 28 | A 30-year-old male was cited in the 5200 block of Bunch Road/Windsor Farme Road in Summerfield for carrying a concealed weapon without a permit.

Courtesy photo

Officers examine the shattered window of a Jeep after a smash-and-grab incident that occurred last Sunday in the Lake Higgins trailhead parking lot in northwest Greensboro. The victim said her purse, which had been stored out of sight in the Jeep’s console, was stolen and the suspect(s) went to the nearest Harris Teeter and charged $1,500 on gift cards before her credit cards were reported as stolen.

“Be careful about what’s in your car,” she advised. “The parking lot was full, there were a lot of people around that day, and I felt completely safe.”

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 Oak Ridge Presbyterian Youth group for organizing a great event and raising money for the local nonprofit Backpack Beginnings. Way to serve the community!

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neighborhood where crossing occurs.  Dr. Best of Best Impressions in Greensboro. You fixed what didn’t work the first time without additional charge – not even for the office visit. You sure are the best!  TireMax in Stokesdale. You couldn’t fix the problem with my Mercedes, but even after the labor involved to find that out, you didn’t charge me anything.

I’m so glad I bought my tires from you earlier this year.

 Town of Oak Ridge for having the ability to decorate and prune the area around the N.C. 150 “Welcome” sign, yet cannot replace one simple light bulb so visitors can see it at night. It’s a bulb.

It has power. Xmas lights worked...  The inappropriate knee-jerk reaction

of people who clamor for reducing speed limits even when speed is not an issue.

The driver in the Halloween tragedy near Linville Road was driving 15mph below the limit. Speed limits are already too low.  John Doggett for voting in favor of David Couch’s text amendment request.

I am sorry I helped to vote him in. He will not get my vote again.  Dog parents at Oak Ridge Park. Pick up your dog’s poo, for cryin’ out loud! I saw at least 10 piles between the parking lot and the dog park. Nasty. If you can’t be responsible, leave the dog home!  Developers creating urban living in rural areas. Build what people want – homes/land to complement the area.

Create affordable living where it already exists, by restoration, so people are happy with what they can afford. Your development will ruin home values.

NEWS IN BRIEF

...continued from p. 3 appropriating $40,000 in matching funds to support a federal grant application by the Piedmont Land Conservancy (PLC) for the purchase of 42 acres along the Haw River. If the application for the Land and Water Conservation Fund grant is successful, PLC plans to buy the property on East Harrell Road at its appraised value of $189,000, Town Manager Bill Bruce told the council in a Feb. 27 memo. Closing costs and other expenses bring total expenses for the transaction to $223,950.

easement in place, Bruce said. The town’s proposed Haw River trail corridor runs along the property, providing “an outstanding opportunity for trail development and open space preservation,” he said.

Separately, the council plans to consider increasing rental fees for shelters in Town Park. If approved, the increases would be the first since Oak Ridge established its fee structure for shelter rentals in 2007.

want to attend/watch?

The 7 p.m. meeting at Town Hall this Thursday, March 2, is open to the public. The meeting will be livestreamed on the town’s YouTube channel. For more information, visit www.oakridgenc.com.

Following the purchase of the property, PLC would transfer ownership to Oak Ridge with a conservation

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TEXT AMENDMENT

LETTERS/OPINIONS

...continued from p. 7

Submit your letters (maximum 350 words) online: nwobserver.com email: editor@nwobserver.com Include your name, daytime phone number and name of community.

Letters from the same writer will be published no more than every 30 days.

Respect opinions on both sides, but make right choice in the end Summerfield Farms owner David Couch wants to develop nearly 1,000 acres in Summerfield for apartments, townhouses and retail businesses.

Many people dislike this idea and keep asking the town council to vote it down. Most who are not in favor of the new zoning district he has requested bring up lots of good arguments – such as, it would negatively affect traffic and schools.

At last Tuesday night’s meeting, the town council once again rejected Couch’s request for a text amendment, which is the first step to getting his development approved.

“We do need a variety of housing for teachers, firefighters and other people,” said one resident, “but I have never heard of someone wanting a dream apartment.”

Supporters of Couch’s proposal say growth is coming to the town, and it would be better to be prepared for it.

Although they are right about

change coming and needing to be prepared, putting in apartments is not the road we want to go down for our future. We prepare for our future by limiting the number of bad or unnecessary changes.

One citizen-led survey showed 85% of those who responded are against apartments, with most people worried about the impact on traffic. We want to conserve the land and preserve our town’s uniqueness. We want to respect those on both sides of the argument, but make the right choice in the end.

We want a healthy place for people to live, for people coming to enjoy our town’s beauty or for the people who want to keep what they came here for.

We want to keep our own town and not become like Raleigh.

Klara Tar The writer is a member of Scout Troop 219; she chose to write an editorial as part of meeting requirements for her Communications merit badge.

Stay connected to your neighbors at

/NorthwestObserver 34 MARCH 2 - 15, 2023

in solidarity with other Couch opponents decked out in red.

Storch moved to Summerfield from Greensboro. She joined numerous others who said they moved here from as far away as California to escape congestion and noise that they fear would accompany the higher-density housing proposed by Couch.

The developer said building the Villages of Summerfield Farms would take two decades or longer. Aside from that development, opponents also expressed concerns that if Couch were to extend water and sewer services to his project, as he’s proposing, other developers would eventually tie into the lines.

“I don’t want 20 years of construction; I don’t want the traffic; I don’t want high density,” said Darryl Hodge, a homeowner in the Armfield subdivision.

Pam Tocornal said she has “no problems” with apartments. She added that future development in Summerfield is going to require a more reliable source of water than wells currently provide. As a result, she said, town leaders would be “prudent” to work with Couch on providing a new source of drinking water.

Couch’s supporters said they’d welcome a wider variety of housing options in Summerfield, as well as the preservation of open space and construction of trails proposed by the developer.

“It’s an awesome development, carefully mapped out,” said Mark Ruffin, a former Summerfield resident now living in Greensboro. A wider availability of less expensive housing would give more firefighters, police and other first responders an opportunity to live in Summerfield, Ruffin said.

Chris Downey, a 911 supervisor in High Point, offered a different perspective. He said he and his wife Kasey, a school teacher, bought a house in Summerfield 12 years ago.

“Here we are community helpers living and breathing in Summerfield,” he said.

The Northwest Observer • Totally localtosince 1996 In response Couch’s plan to create

more affordable housing in Summerfield, critics noted that apartments are plentiful just a few miles outside of town.

“The last thing we need is apartments,” said Greg Loflin, president of the homeowners association in Polo Farms.

As chief executive of Blue Ridge Cos., Couch has spent several decades building apartments. He and his designers have pledged to build highquality, garden-style apartments in two locations in Summerfield.

Joe Kohl, one of Couch’s designers, told the council that apartments would occupy about 3.4% of the Villages of Summerfield Farms, the 11 villages proposed by the developer. Trails and pedestrian-friendly streets would bisect the property, half of which would be dedicated to green space and scenic views in exchange for zoning that allows higher-density housing, according to Couch’s team.

“We want this place to feel like you are living in a park,” said Kohl, who was interrupted by some of Couch’s opponents when they didn’t like what he said.

At the end of his presentation, some members of the crowd shouted “no apartments, no apartments.”

Citing the rancor expressed during meetings and online over the past year, Ashley Scales, an African-American who works at Summerfield Farms, said she no longer wants to move to Summerfield from Greensboro.

“We are grown adults, and the things that we are saying to each other and the lack of empathy that we’re having for each other was absolutely disgusting,” Scales said. “I don’t want neighbors who are going to sit here and tell me they don’t want me here because of the color of my skin.”

Summerfield resident Kevin Kenjarski urged the council to bring calm to what he described as the “emotionally charged” nature of meetings during which moderately priced housing has been debated. Some people in search of more affordable housing have stopped attending meetings due to the skeptical reaction of others, he said.

“If our town leaders have an attitude of ‘no means no’ for certain classes of individuals, the divisiveness in our town will continue regardless of what David Couch does with his land,” Kenjarski said.

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Please call (336) 604-3249.

MAID-2- SHINE. Excellent ser vice, 15 years experience. Free estimates, excellent references. (336) 338-0223

BLISSFUL ART & FRAMING. SHOP LOCAL! Framing, gifts, graphic design. 4533 Hwy. 220 N., Summerfield. (336) 298-4502.

EXPERIENCED INTERIOR DECORATOR & personal furniture shopper will help you with style, color, shopping & furniture placement. E-mail appeninc@gmail.com or call Ann Appenzeller, (336) 314-1411.

ELECTRICAL BALEX ELECTRICAL COMPANY, LLC. Residential, commercial and solar electrical services. (336) 298-4192.

Do you have ELECTRICAL NEEDS? Call Coble Electric, LLC at (336) 209-1486.

FLOORING / TILE MONTERO'S HARDWOOD FLOORING Installation of hardwood, laminate & tile; hardwood sanding & finishing. Commercial & residential. Insured, 17 yrs. exp. Free est., exc. references. Call (336) 215-8842 or visit Monteros-hardwood-flooring.com.

GENERAL REPAIR & SERVICES LOW-COST GARAGE DOORS. Repair and sales. 35 years exp. (336) 207-1003.

GARY’S HANDYMAN HOME SERVICES “Providing value for the home-ownership experience.” Gary Gellert, serving NC’s Piedmont Triad area. Garygellert@gmail.com, (336) 423-8223.

OLD SCHOOL HOME REPAIR See display ad on page 22.

PAOLA CLEANING SERVICE. Residential & commercial. Insured. (336) 669-5210 CRYSTAL CLEAR WINDOW CLEANING Gutter cleaning, pressure washing. Fully ins. windowcleaningnc.com. (336) 595-2873.

CHRISTIAN MOM needs work cleaning houses, running errands. Quality cleaning/ budget friendly. Pet sitting also avail. References. Call Laura Bennett, (336) 231-1838.

36 MARCH MARCH - 15, 2023 2 -215, 2023

handyman ● painting ● kitchen & bath residential & commercial ● free estimates

336.554.5007

kjhomeservices4u@gmail.com

CLOCK SERVICE. Free house calls for sick clocks. 8103 Windspray Dr., Summerfield.

(336) 643-9931.

L & T SMALL ENGINE SERVICE. “We get you mowing!” Comm./res., all models. Oak Ridge, NC. Please call (336) 298-4314. Ltsmeng16@gmail.com.

APPLIANCE REPAIR – Call Mr. Appliance A step above the rest! (336) 609-5707.

GRADING / HAULING ANTHONY’S GRADING & HAULING Excavating, land clearing, demolition, dirt, available. Zane Anthony, (336) 362-4035.

DTW GRADING & HAULING, INC. Offering a sum of aggregates, including but not limited to: fill dirt, stone, asphalt millings, and crushed concrete. We also offer full bobcat services. Driveways, minor clearing, drainage solutions and snow removal.

Daniel Wilson, (336) 339-0212.

GAULDIN TRUCKING, grading & hauling, bobcat work, lot clearing, driveways, fill dirt, gravel, etc. (336) 362-1150.

E&W HAULING & GRADING INC. Driveways, fill dirt, demolition, lot clearing, excavating, bobcat work, etc. (336) 451-1282.

BRAD'S BOBCAT & HAULING SVCS. LLC. Debris removal, grading, gravel/dirt, driveways, concrete work. (336) 362-3647.

H&L GRADING, LLC. No job too tough or too small. Call us first! We are a full service grading company that specializes in residential projects. Owner/Operator Timmy Hart has more than 30 years of grading and equipment experience. Fully licensed and insured. Land clearing, debris removal, driveways, French drains and much more. Call Bobby Lipstreu, (336) 543-7867.

The Northwest Observer Keeping you connected since 1996!

The Northwest Observer Observer • Totally local sincelocal 1996since 1996 The Northwest • Totally

WILSON

Seamless Gutters

Installation, repair, replacement, Leaf Guard

Stokesdale

336-420-0200 S&M SEAMLESS GUTTERS. Install new gutters. Repair and clean old gutters. Free estimates. Fully insured. (336) 587-8223 or (336) 709-5944.

Follow us on Facebook for updates! facebook/northwestobserver LAWNCARE / LANDSCAPING ARBOR MASTERS TREE SERVICE Total tree removal, storm damage cleanup, shrub and tree pruning. Free estimates.

Licensed & insured. (336) 643-9157.

COLFAX LAWNCARE. Core aeration & seeding. Fertilizing, mowing, trimming. Complete lawn care/maintenance. Res./comm.

Fully insured. Serving the Triad for 34 years.

(336) 362-5860.

AUGUSTA GREEN LANDSCAPES. 15+ years experience. Complete lawn care.

Landscape design, pine needles/mulch, aeration, & more. Fully insured. Free estimates!

(336) 708-6150.

STEVE NEWMAN TREE SERVICE. FREE EST. Fully insured. Topping, pruning and removal. Natural area thinning and cleanup.

Oak Ridge. (336) 643-1119.

DILLON TREE SERVICE. Certified arborists. BBB accredited. Fully insured. Familyowned. Tree removal and trimming. Available for emergency removals 24/7. Free estimates.

(336) 996-6156. www.dillontreeservice.com. info@dillontreeservice.com.

 HOME SERVICES

 HOME SERVICES

 HOME SERVICES

 HOME SERVICES

DSL DRAIN SYSTEMS & LANDSCAPING. (336) 362-4354.

MASONRY

ON EAGLE'S WINGS residential home design/drafting. Call Patti, (336) 605-0519.

BRANSON PLUMBING & SOLAR. No job too small! Experienced, guaranteed. Lic./ Ins. Cleanliness in your home is our #1 priority. Call Mark, (336) 337-7924.

INTEGRITY TREE SERVICE, LLC. Tree removal, risk assessment, tree pruning, dead wood removal. Affordable/competitive pricing. Fully insured. Owner-operated. Call for free estimate, (336) 210-8310.

CM STUMP GRINDING, LLC. Family owned and operated. Commercial/residential. Free quotes! (336) 317-4600.

EXTERIOR GREENSCAPES. Lawn maintenance service. Call for a free estimate (336) 682-1456.

ORTIZ LANDSCAPING, complete lawn care. Trimming, cleaning, planting & mulch, gutter cleaning, patios & pavers, waterfalls, retaining walls, sidewalks, stonework. Residential and commercial. (336) 280-8981.

SOUTHERN CUTZ LAWN CARE. Offering complete lawn maintenance services, landscaping, bush hogging, privacy fence installation/repair/staining, and stump grinding.

Nathan Adkins, (336) 430-6086.

STRAIGHT EDGE LAWN CARE. Free estimates. Please call (336) 306-0274.

GUZMAN LANDSCAPE & MAINTENANCE Pine needles, mulch, leaf removal, tree pruning, complete lawn maint. (336) 655-6490.

HILL LAWNCARE & OUTDOOR SERVICES. Free est. Call (336) 669-5448.

DeLima

Lawn Care, LLC commercial & residential

Available 7 days/week mowing ● pruning ● mulch/pine needles & much more

SOUTHERN STYLE Concrete, LLC & Outdoor Living can design any concrete project you need, from stamped patios, sidewalks, driveways, basketball courts and fire pits. Our workers are experienced craftsmen who can customize any project to exceed your expectations. Call us at (336) 399-6619.

COLONIAL MASONRY. 40 yrs. exp. Specializing in outdoor living spaces; dry-stack natural stone and flagstone. Let us help you plan your patio, fire pit, fireplace, kitchen – or anything else you would like! Call (336) 949-9019. www.colonialmasonry.com.

CONCRETE COATINGS Flake Epoxy Systems Garage Floor and Concrete Resurfacing Decorative Concrete Overlays Stamped Concrete Rejuvenation Eric Sauls, Owner ● (336) 970-3543 Call for your free estimate NEW PHASE CONCRETE. Here for all your decorative concrete needs. Specializing in decorative stamp, stained, epoxy and all other concrete poured finishes as well. Also offering refurbishment of existing stamped concrete. Make your existing stamped look like new again! (336) 399-1474 or (336) 595-4654.

Join 15,000+ neighors – follow us on Facebook for community updates! facebook.com/northwestobserver

MISC. HOME SERVICES/PRODUCTS

FREE ESTIMATES WILSON LANDSCAPING, INC. Lawn maint., landscaping. Irrigation/landscape contractor. Hardscaping & landscape lighting. 26 years exp. (336) 399-7764.

PEARMAN QUARRY LCID. Inert debris landfill. Yard waste, concrete, etc. Mulch and fill dirt available. (336) 803-2195 or (336) 558-7673.

licensed & ensured ● working in the area since 2005

KC CLEANING & PAINTING. Google us! Please call (336) 604-3249.

working in NW Guilford County since 1999

Residential • Commercial • Licensed & Insured

Available 7 days/week

emergencies, parties, preparing for guests, etc.

Ask us about PRESSURE WASHING

Owner: Carlos Ruiz

336.669.5210 ● carlospainting14@live.com

FREE ESTIMATES

JUNK & DEBRIS REMOVAL, construction, remodeling, and general cleanup, outbuildings, garages, basements, yard waste, etc.

Also can haul mulch. Call (336) 706-8470.

Owner: JC Ruiz ● 336.669.5210

PAINTING & DRYWALL

LAWSON'S PAINTING. Custom decks, pressure washing, boat docks, block fill, wood repair, stain work, textured ceilings, sheetrock repair. Call (336) 253-9089.

PAINTING INTERIOR & EXTERIOR, 40 yrs. exp. Sheetrock repair. Average BDRM walls $100. Insured. Call Brad Rogers, (336) 314-3186.

STILL PERFECTION PAINTING. Reliable, skilled, affordable. Painting, pressure washing, handyman services. Scott Still, (336) 462-3683, stillperfectionpainting.com.

Your HOME SERVICES company should be here!

Place your classified ad online at

www.nwobserver.com PLUMBING SIGNATURE PLUMBING. Discount hotwater heater and toilet installation and plumbing. Insured. 20 years experience.

Guaranteed work. Call Craig, (336) 279-6196.

WEBSTER & SONS PLUMBING, Inc. (336) 992-2503. Licensed, insured, bonded.

24/7 service. Plumbing, drain cleaning, well pumps. Give us a call, we do it all! Go to www.webstersplumbing.com for more info.

The Northwest • Totally since 1996 The Northwest Observer •Observer Totally local sincelocal 1996

PRESSURE WASHING HOUSE and ROOF SOFT WASHING. Martin's Pressure Washing. (919) 931-0856.

PRESSURE WASHING, gutter & window cleaning. Fully insured. Crystal Clear, www. windowcleaningnc.com or (336) 595-2873.

REMODELING / CONSTRUCTION PAINTING, DECKS AND MORE. Call Premier Construction for free estimates.

(336) 430-9507.

RENOVATION WORKS, INC. New construction, remodeling, additions, kitchen, bath and decks. We are a locally owned, full-service design and build company, A+ accredited with the BBB. Visit www.myrenovationworks.com or call (336) 427-7391 to start your next project.

AFFORDABLE HOME REPAIRS. One call fixes all! A+ with BBB. For a free estimate call (336) 643-1184 or (336) 987-0350.

AMERICAN BUILDER CONSTRUCTION. Repairs & remodeling, kitchens/baths, additions, decks, attics, basements. Licensed & insured. Short wait list. NC general contractors.

(336) 225-7478.

BELEWS CREEK CONSTRUCTION. Kitchens/baths, custom decks, garages, dock work, siding, windows, roofing, rotted wood. Sr. disc., 41 yrs. exp. (336) 362-6343.

Services TM Construction , INC

BUILDING | RENOVATIONS | ADDITIONS

Screened porches | Sunrooms | Eze-Breeze®

(336) 644-8615 office (336) 508-5242 cell Licensed & insured NC Gen. Contractor #72797

continued on p. 38

MARCH 2 -215, 2023 MARCH - 15, 2023 37

 HOME SERVICES

 HOME SERVICES

ORTIZ REMODELING – Total restoration & home improvement. Drywall, painting, kitchen cabinets, interior trim & more. Free estimates. (336) 280-8981.

BELEWS CREEK CONSTRUCTION. Lifetime shingle and metal roofing. We finance. Free estimates. Since 1979.

(336) 362-6343.

KEITH SMITH CONSTRUCTION, LLC. N.C. general contractor with 30 years experience. Specializing in new homes, room additions, kitchens & baths, garages, decks, vinyl siding and windows, painting, tile, laminate and vinyl plank, and remodeling of all kinds. Quality for the right price. Free est. Please call (336) 362-7469.

CLINARD & SON ROOFING, LLC. 40 + years experience. (336) 643-8191.

SAME-DAY

FREE

Gated access with 24/7 camera surveillance

Roof Replacement • Roof Repairs NEW! Roof Rejuvenation www.5StarROOFINGUSA.com

336-780-7800

customerservice@5starroofingnc.com

(336) 643-9963 • 8207 B & G Court, Stokesdale

(336) 310-4133

PORTABLE WELDING SERVICE. Welding & fabrication services. Call (336) 908-6906.

Oak Ridge Based. Free Quotes.

What’s going on around town?

Check in with 15,500+ of your neighbors at

PREMIER ROOFING. Commercial/residential. Providing service for all of your roofing needs. Locally owned. Please call (336) 430-9507 for free assessments.

DUSTIN CLINARD ROOFING. Shingles, metal, and leak repairs. Call (336) 268-1908.

Didn’t get your NWO? Please let us know!

Direct-mailing the NWO is one of our largest expenses, and one of our most important commitments to our readers!

38 MARCH MARCH - 15, 2023 2 -215, 2023

SPENCE CANINE ACADEMY. Dog training. Private lessons, behavior modification, service dogs & more! Call/text Sarah at (336) 406-9543 for more information.

If you live in zip code 27310, 27357 or 27358 and didn’t receive your copy on Thursday/Friday, please email info@nwobserver.com.

 REAL ESTATE PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

We carry moving & shipping supplies

Roofing, Gutters, Leaf Guards

facebook.com/northwestobserver

INSPECTIONS

 PETS/ANIMAL SERVICES

LOCALLY OWNED & OPERATED

WWW.VILLAGEROOFS.COM

ROOFING

&

 MISC. SERVICES

We Help Everyone!

SELLERS & BUYERS

WELDING AND TRAILER REPAIR. Call Tim, (336) 402-3869.

BOAT N RV STORAGE. $70/$100 monthly.

Located on Brigham Rd., Greensboro, near Pleasant Ridge Road. Call (336) 663-3051.

Got stuff?

Need stuff?

Place your ad today:

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 MISC. FOR SALE SEASONED FIREWOOD. $90/pickup truck load, delivered & stacked. (336) 253-7615.

SEASONED FIREWOOD. Any size load delivered or you pick up. Steve Newman Tree Service. Call (336) 643-1119.

 MISC. WANTED FREE PICK-UP of unwanted riding & push mowers, tillers, generators, power washers, 4-wheelers, mini-bikes, golf carts, bikes, other gas-powered items, tools, air conditioners, computers, most metal items, etc.

(336) 689-4167. $$$ – WILL PAY CASH for your junk / wrecked vehicle. For quote, call (336) 552-0328.

The Northwest Observer Observer • Totally local sincelocal 1996since 1996 The Northwest • Totally

(336) 643-4248

www.ANewDawnRealty.com HOME FOR RENT DUPLEX. 2BR, 1BA. NW and Stokesdale schools. Appliances included. $1,200. Call (336) 706-1887.

HOUSE FOR LEASE. 1-yr. term. 3BR, 2BA, 1-car gar., private lot. Colfax & Northwest schools. Benchmark Real Property, Inc. benchmarkrealproperty@gmail.com.

SELLING or RENTING? Get the word out to

over 28,000 readers!

Call (336) 644-7035, ext. 10. or place your classified online at

LAND FOR SALE 13 ACRES for multi-family or commercial development. Madison water/sewer at the property. Awesome piece of property. Call (336) 430-9507.

LAND WANTED WANTED: LAND. Any size or shape. Vacant or with dwellings. Matters not. We pay CASH! Quick closings! Call (336) 430-9507.

index of DISPLAY ADVERTISERS

Please support our advertisers, and tell them where you saw their ad!

ACCOUNTING

Carlotta Lytton, CPA.......................................22 Personal Accounting Services .....................22 Samuel K. Anders, CPA, MSA, PC ...........32

Stokesdale Heating & Air .............................19 Stokesdale Storage......................................... 38 Village Roofs, Inc. ........................................... 38 Wilson Seamless Gutters ............................. 36

AUTOMOTIVE SALES / SERVICE

INVESTING / FINANCIAL ADVISORS

Beamer Tire & Auto....................................... 33 EuroHaus ........................................................... 35 Prestige Car Wash ...........................................21 Tire Max.............................................................. 11

BUILDING / REMODELING

Barbour & Williams Law.................................. 4

MEDICAL / HEARING / PT

COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS

ORTHODONTIC CARE

Merchants of Oak Ridge...............................27 Oak Ridge Lions Club ....................................28 Summerfield Merchants Association....... 29 TAWCMM – Christian Men’s Ministry ........ 9

DENTAL SERVICES

DeVaney Dentistry ...........................................25 Magnolia Shores Family Dental ................... 6 Summerfield Family Dentistry ....................... 7

Olmsted Orthodontics .................................. 20 Reynolds & Stoner Orthodontics................24

PET SERVICES & PRODUCTS

REAL ESTATE

Southern Foods ................................................10

HAIR CARE

RESTAURANTS

Great Clips......................................................... 20

HOME PRODUCTS & SERVICES

5 Star Roofing .................................................. 38 A&B Portable Toilets Inc. ................................ 7 BEK Paint Company ......................................... 7 Carlos & Son Painting ...................................... 9 Carpets by Direct ............................................. 17 CharCo Concrete Coatings ..........................37 DeLima Lawn Care .........................................37 K&J Home Services ....................................... 36 Nature’s Select Piedmont ............................... 8 New Garden Landscaping & Nursery ...... 12 Renewal by Andersen ...................................... 5 Southern Style Concrete & Landscaping...19

LAST CALL to reserve your spot!

Bel-Aire Veterinary Hospital......................... 14 Northwest Animal Hospital .......................... 14 A New Dawn Realty ...................................... 38 Berkshire Hathaway Home Services .......... 2 Nicole Gillespie, RE/MAX ............................. 12 Ramilya Siegel, Keller Williams .................. 33

GROCERIES / SUPPLIES

Spring 2023 edition

LEGAL SERVICES

Guardian Ad Litem .........................................19

CHILDREN’S SERVICES

March 30

Edward Jones ................................................... 33

Aim Hearing & Audiology .............................. 2 Bream Medical .................................................32 LeBauer HealthCare.......................................15 Northwest Pediatrics.......................................26 Novant – Forsyth Pediatrics ........................ 20 Oak Ridge Physical Therapy........................21

Old School Home Repair..............................22 Superior Outdoor Spaces ............................ 30 TM Construction Services.............................37

Coming

Bistro 150 ...........................................................21 Ridge Shrimp & Oyster ..................................21 Rio Grande Kitchen & Cantina ................. 20

RETAIL

Carlie Rae Beauty.............................................. 3 Golden Antiques & Treasures .................... 30 Poppy & Pine .....................................................32

SCIENCE CTR / ZOOLOGICAL PARK

Greensboro Science Center ......................... 16

YOUTH SPORTS / CAMPS

Home-grown stories about everything from maintaining and improving your home, to housing trends, history and humor of life in northwest Guilford County

In print every spring and fall and online year-round at nwobserver.com Contact us at advertising@nwobserver.com or (336) 644-7035, ext. 11, to secure your spot

National Flag Football ..................................... 6 Oak Ridge Youth Association .....................25 The Northwest Observer • Totally local since 1996 .....................................23 YMCA of Greensboro

MARCH 2 - 15, 2023 39

PRSRT STD

PRSRT STD POSTAGE U.S.U.S. POSTAGE

Postal Patron Postal Patron PO Box Oak Ridge, NC 27310 • (336) 644-7035 PO268, Box 268, Oak Ridge, NC 27310 • (336) 644-7035

t Summerfield residen nd co Olivia Laizure (se she from left) made sure st we rth packed her No Observer so she could keep a piece of home C. close by while at N. in ty rsi ive Un te Sta Raleigh, where she enrolled in January. re Along with Olivia we tie Ka w, -la -in her sister m McGuire (far left), mo Jennifer Mun (second er, from right) and broth Chris McGuire.

PAID PAID

Ridge, OakOak Ridge, NCNC Permit No. Permit No. 22 22 ECRWSS ECRWSS

Janelle and Andrew Krueger of Summerfield enjoyed catching up on the latest news back home while standing outside of the Hagia Sophia mosque in Istanbul, Turkey. Hagia Sophia, a major cultural and historical site, served as a mosque until 1935, when it was turned into a museum. In 2020, the site once again became a mosque.

Stokesdale Elementary fifth graders enjoyed a moment with the Northwest Observer along with Laura Reneer, the newspaper’s marketing manager (back row, left) and Patti Stokes, editor/publisher (back row, center). Reneer and Stokes visited the school last December to participate in Career Day and talk with the students about jobs in advertising, marketing, writing and reporting.

Going near or far? Be sure to pack up your Northwest Observer and send us your NWO on the go photos!

Email your high-res photo to : photos@nwobserver.com